The Ship Whisperer Collection
by CMDRTalynneStar
Summary: A collection of stories and fanfics based off of Elite: Dangerous, following CMDR Talynne Star and her unique ability to sense and talk with the souls of ships.
1. Memories of the Past

A small blurb in which Talynne remembers the past and how she got to where she is, and is reminded of a brighter future.

Note: I've never read any of the Elite: Dangerous official fiction. Please do not flame with tons of "this isn't right, this sucks". If I got something wrong, please be constructive about it. ^_^

Elite: Dangerous is owned by Frontier Developments. Settings, ships and descriptions are based off of Elite: Dangerous. Talynne Star as a character is my own.

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Series: THE SHIP WHISPERER - #1

Story: "Memories of the Past, Visions of the Future"

Written By: Talynne Star

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"Talyn...slow to minimum speed and drop out of Supercruise."

"Affirmative, Commander."

Commander Talynne Star had made the order after finding a planet with wide, gorgeous white rings, the sun in the background shining through them, making them glow. It was a beautiful, calming image that she just wanted a moment to sit and admire. It had been a long month and she had been doing so much in terms of running goods back and forth from Eta Draconis to Ao Qin and back, as well as being on the front lines of the tussle out in Eta Draconis between Gold Vision Co and the Union of Eta Draconis Labor.

She felt the gentle shudder of her Eagle fall out of Supercruise and the Frameshift Drive powering down. Talyn's thrusters engaged, taking them to a slow speed near the rings. The way the light reflected off of the rings, causing them to glow...Talynne had no words for it. It was beautiful, but even that word didn't do the vision justice. She just stared at them through the side of her cockpit, almost at a loss for words.

"We are now out of Supercruise; thrusters at 20% speed and holding."

"Thankyou, Talyn. Come to full stop and turn seventy degrees to starboard." CMDR Talynne informed, leaning back in her chair and putting a foot up on the dash.

"Affirmative, Commander." Came Talyn's reply again, and proceeded to slow to a stop and then turn, bringing the view of the planet straight on through the canopy windows. The windows dimmed a bit so as to avoid Talynne having her eyes blinded from the brilliance of the sun. It still allowed the beauty of this white and grey striped planet with pure white rings to sit there glittering in space before her. It reminded her of a planet in her home system of Sol. The planet was Saturn; golds and browns banded the surface of the planet, with wide golden rings surrounding it.

The remembrance of Sol brought her back to Earth, where her...her family lived. For generations upon generations, they had been agriculturalists, farming the Earth's soil and perfecting means of growing the best produce. Her family had never had any interest in space. They firmly believed in deep roots on Earth, and that their place was on solid ground. Talynne, however, had other ideas.

Ever since she was little, she'd stare up at the stars at night. During the day, she'd daydream about flying in the sky amongs the bright, white clouds. Often her mother would tell her to get her head out of the clouds and focus on her daily chores. But that instruction would only last so long. She'd soon be found again, standing in a field or sitting, staring up at the sky, the gentle, warm summer breeze floating by and making the grass dance around her. Most kids would be playing amongst the waving grass. Not Talynne. While the summer breeze and sun would warm her, she'd still be miles away in the air...or even further out, playing amongst the stars. Her parents continued to try to refocus her throughout the years, but to no avail.

Talynne clenched her teeth as the next memory surfaced. It was a painful one, years later when she was nineteen. She had been working secretly with a friend to gain her pilot's license for the past year, often going on trips that she made excuses of for her training. She didn't want her parents stepping in and ruining her dream. When she was seventeen she set eyes on a space ship called an Eagle. Despite the fact that the ship was no longer being actively made, there were still plenty of them around and many still for sale. She felt her heart soaring and she knew...KNEW what she wanted.

For two years since the day she saw that ship she worked hard, making what credits she could to afford even the most basic of ships, but she didn't even come close to what she needed. Often her parents would become aware of her cash flow and ask for money. It pained her to say no and if she refused, she'd be asked why she needed so much. It was getting harder to hide her reasons. She would eventually give in and offer some of her backup credits just to keep them from asking more questions...which, to her, was vital in her plan.

So when the day came that she graduated at the top three percent of her flight school that she had secretly been attending and received her first official Pilot's License, the only attendee to her credit was the friend that had helped her out. She already had her plans to leave and had gotten a communication from the Pilot's Federation that she would be leaving in two days to LHS 3447 to pick up her ship. It wouldn't be the Eagle she had wanted, but a little Sidewinder. Most pilots, from what she understood, began with one as they were cheap all-rounder ships that gave a range of options to start out. Talynne was hoping to be an explorer, to visit the vast expanse of the Galaxy(little did she realize she would change her mind the moment she received her first bounty reward). Realistically she knew she wouldn't see ALL the stars in her lifetime, but she had a few goals in mind for destinations. Now...the hard part was telling her parents she would be leaving Earth...and possibly indefinitely.

It didn't go over well. A large fight ensued. Yelling, screaming, claiming she was tearing the family apart. Her father tried to reach for her brand new license to destroy it, but she jumped out of reach before he could. That single tag that hung around her neck meant not only the world to her, but the galaxy. Sadly this only made him angrier and he told her to get out. She was no longer welcome on the family grounds. Her mother was a bit softer, trying to get her father to rescind that action, but he refused. Talynne bit her lip and slipped to her room to gather what little belongings she could carry in a single trip out to her vehicle, and left in silence. Her bed and some less important trinkets and belongings were left; her parents could do as they pleased.

The vision of the planet before her blurred as tears came to her eyes. All she had fought for she got, but at the price of her family. She sighed, staring at her ship's console, reaching out and gingerly running her fingers along the smooth brushed steel and vinyl coverings just to her right side. It was a comforting feeling. It reminded her of her hard work, her dream come true...she hoped one day she could hit the status of Elite and make her parents proud, somehow. Maybe send them more credits for better farming equipment. She was already sitting comfortably at over two million credits, but at this point...she had three separate ships to take care of now. She was building a small fleet, it seemed. Talyn, her gorgeous Eagle, which she often referred to her as her baby. Then there was her Viper, Toruk, meaning "Last Shadow". She was a fiesty, growly ship, but flew well in Talynne's hands. Finally there was her Cobra, Sapphira. She was more of a small cargo ship for runs back and forth between Eta Draconis and Ao Qin. She handled well, but she was still in need of some upgrades.

A small smile came to her face as she stared briefly at Talyn's console, then back up to the glowing rings in front of her. She remembered the day that she went searching for the first ship she would ever buy. Having made enough credits to purchase an Eagle and give it a couple upgrades, she finally found herself in the shipyard of Wohler Terminal in Kremainn. There were so many ships, some that she swore she could only ever dream of owning...specifically the Viper and the Cobra(how ironic was it that she now owned all three?). They, too, had their appeal. But there was only one she wanted right now.

She came upon a long line of Eagles, sitting quietly, all angled and set up for show. Most were painted green; they were retired military craft. Others had been confiscated. But there was one. She sat in the middle of the rest of the Eagles, looking practically the same as the rest. Green paint, all former military information removed and she had been stripped down to nothing, aside from basic drives, shields and a small cargo hold. But it almost felt like there was some kind of aura around this particular ship. Talynne shifted her head to the side, watching the bright bay lights reflect in a long, but shallow gouge in the craft's side just under the canopy. She got the sense of a survivor. Talynne smiled as she walked forward, inspecting the ship slowly, her hands touching on the landing struts, feeling the energy in the metal. The moment her fingers touched, she felt...something. She had always heard from more seasoned pilots that a ship chooses its pilot...not the other way around. She had been told to feel with her soul and heart, not with her eyes. It was a sensation of belonging, a feeling of a fear of being separated, a question of acceptance. Talynne could only smile as she walked up the front strut that doubled as a ramp, going inside to take a peek around. She felt instantly at home inside the ship. She almost felt a bombardment of emotion ranging from excitement, worry, anxiety and nervousness. It was enough so that while she thought she heard a name, she couldn't pinpoint it right away. She knew this was the feeling that the other pilots had spoken of. This ship had chosen her.

She smiled and placed a hand on the back of the pilot's chair, looking at the currently-powered down console.

"Well, what do you think. Do you want me as your pilot, my dear Eagle?" She would ask, going silent as she listened for any kind of response, her eyes catching a quick, faint flicker of life on the console. Though the ship was powered down...she apparently still tried to respond. It was decided.

Two days later that Eagle, despite the protests and warnings of multiple problems with it from the techs, she had purchased it, upgraded her weapons and vital modules to start, had a small bunk installed, did a few internal fixings herself and even had a gorgeous black, red and gold flame paint job applied. Within those two days, her name was revealed, and she became Talyn. It was fitting on many levels.

And now here they sat, staring out to a gorgeous planet, taking a moment to themselves. If only her family could see this...

Talyn's computerized voice broke through her thoughts suddenly, and with a rather welcome message.

"Commander, Incoming Message from Commander Fairblood."

Suddenly Talynne's face exploded into a huge smile. Here she was, her mind stuck in the past, when the future was written in that simple name. Or, so she felt anyway. She had met him several weeks ago. He was another Eagle flyer, and had recently applied the golden version of her paintjob to his own Eagle, named Icarus. Originally he had come to her for help with Bounty Hunting tactics and upgrading his ship, however the more they talked, the more their friendship grew. Then there was the day he left flowers and chocolates for her to find. She had never blushed so much in her life. Suffice to say, their relationship blossomed and grew stronger.

"Thanks, Talyn, patch it through to the main comms console."

"Yes, Commander."

Her face would only turn more red and the smile on her face would grow bigger as she read it.

"Hey Love : ) Just wanted to tell you I'm about to take off, just woke up, I'm gonna do some scouting as always... I hope you're having fun there, don't blow yourself up, and this time I'll remember to pull the feets back up! Haha. Love you! Safe flying ! -CMDR Fairblood"

She found herself laughing at the mention of the feets. She teased him a lot when they first met because he always forgot to pull his landing gear up. Sometimes he still forgot, but he was getting better at remembering. He even caught HER once forgetting her landing gear. It was quickly becoming a personal joke between the two.

She pressed a few buttons, looking over her roster for the day. She still had much to do. Breaktime was over. She smiled, saving the message above in an internal computer folder. She loved little messages like that.

"Alright, Talyn...let's head back to Draconis. We have more things to take care of."

"Of course, Commander. Plotting course to Eta Draconis." Talyn replied, taking only a few seconds to plot the course. "Course plotted."

Talynne took the controls herself this time, aiming her ship in the correct direction, pushing slowly to full throttle, listening to the sounds of her ship's engines as they rumbled through the entire hull. It was a pleasing, comforting sound to her.

"Talyn, engage the Frameshift Drive to Hyperspace. Let's go home."

"Yes, Commander. Frameshift Drive Charging..."

Narrative:

It would be a short time later that Talynne would discover that Fairblood had disappeared off the radar as well. Once again, her heart left in shambles. No one knew what happened, no one knew if he were alive or dead; he was just gone. She would remind herself again why she shouldn't allow herself to become attached to anyone. It only caused pain.

But what was more painful...being hurt after loving, or being alone?

Sometimes...she didn't know.


	2. The Ship's Secret

Probably one of my best pieces. Written after Talynne's backstory, this describes the time when she bought her Eagle, and then discovered her name.

Note: I've never read any of the Elite: Dangerous official fiction. Please do not flame with tons of "this isn't right, this sucks". If I got something wrong, please be constructive about it. ^_^

Elite: Dangerous is owned by Frontier Developments. Settings, ships and descriptions are based off of Elite: Dangerous. Talynne Star as a character is my own.

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Series: THE SHIP WHISPERER - #2

Story: "The Ship's Secret - Talyn's Naming"

Written By: Talynne Star

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"The Ship's Secret"

Wohler Terminal, Kremainn

Jan 7, 3301

Commander Talynne Star growled as she walked, carrying two tool bags under her left arm, a third grasped in her left hand, a small clump of wires wrapped in plastic in her mouth and her right hand holding a data pad, her thumb scrolling through bits of information and news reports. Her golden eyes flicked over the screen, becoming annoyed. Nothing of interest, and these damn bags were heavy. Her black, layered, shoulder-length hair flopped about as she walked, the one longer red strand flying behind her shoulder. She was headed back to her hangar after a long day of being away. She was grateful for her suit's internal cooling system; had it not been for that, she might have died already of heat in the form-fitting suit that she had designed. She had mistakenly forgotten to grab a cooler and more comfortable change of clothing.

The paint crews had finally gotten her Eagle's paint job completed, and she had been authorized to return. She had been anxious all day, wanting to start the work on the wiring systems that she had discovered needed to be done. She had found the problems the day before while running diagnostics as the Outfitter techs were busy fitting her new ship with the upgraded components she had ordered. She had been getting overloading messages. Upon investigation, she found original wiring that was on the verge of breaking, tearing out...any major movements or a sudden surge while in a battle and it might have been over for them both. She immediately ran a full systems scan for any further problems, as well as going over all the components visually herself. She was dedicated. She didn't want to leave the station without this ship in the best condition she could possibly afford.

She rounded the corner to the doors of Hangar 16, pausing to stuff the data pad in her mouth with the wires, shifting the bags slightly as she leaned a bit, reaching out to enter her security code. The doors slid open, revealing a gorgeous sight to her. She stepped inside slowly, her eyes widening at the beautiful black, red and gold eagle before her.

"Oh wow...look what they did with you..." she said mumbled from behind the datapad and wires, taking a few steps in, not hearing the door slide closed behind her. Once she was close enough, she gently set her bags down and took the wiring out of her mouth, setting it on the bags. She reached up, tentatively touching her ship's hull, only to find the paint dry. She smiled, being more sure, and ran her hand gently along the hull. She felt the minor variations in texture as the paint faded from one color to another, or the sharp feel of the gold flames painted on top of the red and black.

"You're beautiful, my Eagle." she breathed, in total admiration for the work the paint crew had put in to make her Eagle absolutely amazing. She felt a twinge of guilt, though; she hadn't chosen a name yet. Anything she thought of, though, just felt...wrong. She sighed softly, then patted the hull gently. "I'll think of a name soon, don't worry." She said, turning around to pick up her bags and head up the ramp of the front landing strut. Again she balanced bags in one hand, wires and data pad in her mouth and entered her security code. The door slid open with a soft hum and hiss, a slight sound of metal against metal. She entered and set the bags on the floor, sliding to the floor as well. Her ship's bay doors closed as she sat. Home safe. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the bulkheads. It was late at night already, but this needed to get done. She was hoping to launch tomorrow. She opened her eyes, staring at the small kitchen-like area that had one tiny burner, a tiny cabinet that topped a thin but tall refrigeration unit to the right, and a small sink to the left of the burner. There really wasn't much room in an Eagle, but there were some small accommodations. Sometimes one had to stay in their ship for weeks at a time, depending on what was going on. She needed coffee.

Standing, she moved to start a small pot. She had learned how to brew coffee the old, traditional way. She found it tasted better and far fresher that way. While that was going, she began to dig out the parts she was going to need, and unwrapped the wires. The coffee would beep at her when it was ready. She sat next to a panel further back in the ship, reaching up to a higher panel and tapping on the screen, turning a few of the systems off where she was working. Returning her attention to the lower panel, she pried off the cover and gently took it off.

"Alright...let's start getting you fixed up, shall we?" She said, leaning in to inspect the level of damage and what wires and conduits she might need. Several were burned. Whoever had this ship before her didn't take very good care of it, or someone was just damn careless. This SHOULD have been part of routine maintenance. She growled softly. "I swear I will keep up on this...Not gonna let you get so worn down like this. No wonder the techs said you had so many problems. They probably thought that because you were military, you were caught up. Dumbasses..." she mumbled, selecting a cutting tool to remove the damaged parts. She leaned in, managing to get two of the wires just fine. The third one was so badly burned it had melted to the outside of a larger power conduit. Talynne sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Juuuust wonderful." she grumbled, leaning in further to reach it. "It's a wonder you were still functioning..." she said, shifting her position to her knees so she could get in a tad further. Placing one hand on the frame of the panel, she felt her tool grasp the wire and she squeezed.

Her tool slipped just enough to clip the hot wires underneath. Above, a red light began flashing on the systems powerdown panel. One of the conduits had been missed.

Sparks flew as Talynne went flying backwards out of the console that she had been working on, hitting the wall and slumping to the ground. She never knew what had happened. Her hand, still clenching the tool; was burned and her face had a few burn marks.

"Commander. Systems Overload. Please reroute power." Came the voice of the ship's computer AI. No response from Talynne. "Commander." Still no response. "Commander. Please reply." Nothing. No movement. No sound.

It was as if something triggered within the ship. Several systems came on by themselves. The words 'Scan Initiated' appeared on a third nearby panel, followed shortly by 'All Life Signs Ceased'. Another system activated. A distress call. It was directed at Wohler Terminal, the station they were docked at. It contained the scan information as well as information on the Hangar Number and what other system scans the ship had obtained. Within mere moments, an announcement was made over the Station PA system.

"Emergency crews to Hangar 16. Code Red. Repeat. Emergency crews to Hangar 16. Code Red."

Red lights began flashing just outside the hangar doors while topside the normally orange holographic guides and numbers lit up and turned an angry red. This was a message for all craft to stay clear of the area.

It wouldn't take the medical crews very long at all. They rushed in, heading for the ship, whose bay doors opened instantly. No one needed to enter codes, or announce their presence...the doors just opened. The crews, which were two teams of two and three, ran up the ramp and into the ship, spotting Talynne's feet first. They rushed over, instantly starting on loosening her collar and unzipping the front. One felt her neck, then wrist, feeling no pulse. Another attached small electrical nodes to her chest, which lead to a small box. Their first priority was bringing her back. All around them, red lights flashed on and off. It was the ship's internal emergency lights. Almost as if...the ship were anxious or worried. Behind them, a soft beeping continued incessantly as the coffee brew that Talynne had started had finished. One tech reached behind him to shut it off; no sense in another emergency.

As the crews worked around her hurriedly but professionally, Talynne's closed, lifeless eyes remained still, but encountered a vision...

* * *

 _Nothingness. That was all she saw around her. She felt cold. Fear began to creep up into her heart. She remembered cutting the wire...and then nothing. Absolutely...nothing. She grasped at her arms, the fear increasing. Something bad had happened, and now...she feared the worst._

 _"Hello!?" she cried out, her voice strange to her. At first, nothing happened. Then, a small orb of gold light began to form right in front of her. A gentle whisper began to float through her mind, soft whispers that Talynne both understood and yet didn't. She raised her hands, cupping the small ball of light. It felt warm. Hope began to rise in her heart as she stared at this little ball of light. She smiled softly._

 _"Who are you...?" she asked, not really sure at all. The golden orb flickered brightly and danced a little in her hands. Talynne chuckled at the playful nature. More whispers ran through her mind, but these ones were clearer. A gentle feminine voice._

 _"I will protect you, Commander, as you have sworn to take care of me." came the voice, making it VERY clear who this little ball of light was. Talynne's eyes went wide, then a wave of sadness washed over her._

 _"But...something happened. I...-" she started, interrupted by the golden orb._

 _"You'll be okay. You must trust me."_

 _Talynne silenced herself, biting her lip, then nodded._

 _"...What is your name...?" She asked, hoping her answer lay here._

 _"You will know soon." The orb spoke softly, then flared briefly. "Go. I'll be waiting."_

 _Talynne never got a chance to reply._

* * *

Talynne's eyes flew open wide, her lungs clenching and gasping for air. At first her vision spun wildly; a mix of flashing red, greys, whites and blues. Voices began to fill her ears and the smell of coffee overloaded her senses. She began to try to look around, terror filling her. Her heart felt so damn tight and her chest was burning. Slowly her vision began to steady and she blinked a few times, her breath still ragged but getting more regular by the moment. She began to recognize the shape of people wearing the blues and whites around her, as well as the beeping of medical equipment.

"What...where...?" she tried to ask, looking around.

"Commander, don't move around too much. We need you to relax." one of the medical personnel said, placing a hand on her shoulder gently. "Do you know your name?" he asked as another attended to giving her an injection of sorts. No longer like the needles of old earth, they were more like a spray that shot through the skin and entered into the bloodstream that way. No visible wounds were created. Talynne looked at the other tech for a moment, then nodded.

"C...Commander...T-Talynne Star..." she stuttered out. The person asking her nodded.

"Good. Do you know what year you were born?"

"I..." she started, blinked, then tried again. "A-August twenty-third, thirty-two eighty-one." she managed to say, noticing that it was hard at first to remember some of this information. That scared her a bit. "What happened..?" She asked, a little more coherent now. The room had stopped spinning, and she recognized the interior of her newly-bought ship. She began to feel pain in her face and her right hand.

"Just relax, Comman-"

"TELL me...what happened." Talynne said, her golden eyes looking over at the medical tech, her voice, while still slightly unsteady, was firm. The tech blinked, then sighed.

"You were officially dead, Commander. We managed to bring you back within the time limit," he started. Talynne's eyes went wide, but let him continue. "We received a distress call from your ship. From the sensor logs, there was a surge in the navigation array. It also included a report of your life signs." He said, leaning forward to check her eyes, making sure they were responding properly to stimuli. "However you figure it...your ship saved your life." He said, sitting back, satisfied with the response her eyes had given him. Another medical tech was working on her right hand and he lifted it up, preparing to clean it and put a bandage around it. She stared at the back of her hand, seeing something odd in the shape of one of the burns. It was curved, wide on one side and curving to a point on the other. Something began to stir within her as she stared at it.

"That looks like..." she started, remembering old photos from earth. The birds of prey had long, sharp talons. Particularly... "an Eagle's talon..."

 _"I will protect you, Commander, as you have sworn to take care of me..."_

The voice of that golden orb shot through her heart and she knew in that instant. Not Talon, but Talyn. Like her name. A combination of the both of them. A sudden wave of peace and happiness flowed through her and a smile crossed her face.

"Talyn..."

The red emergency lights stopped flashing in that moment, causing the medical techs to look up, confused.

"What...?" asked the head tech, a little bewildered.

"Nothing," Talynne said, her smile turning to a weary smirk, her eyes focusing on the ceiling of her ship. Above her, a soft yellow-gold light in the ceiling held steady, as if watching down over her. In that moment, an unbreakable bond between pilot and ship was formed.

* * *

The medical techs stayed there long enough to ensure that she would be alright, and made sure that she was patched up and had given her instructions to not launch for twelve Earth hours. She had been also instructed to have someone else do the repairs. Reluctantly she agreed, but watched over the repairs like a hawk. She refused to let anyone screw up anything on Talyn.

No one would ever truly know what happened that day. Most would say it was just a protocol that was run when Commander Talynne didn't respond. But there are some who speculate that their ships are more than just metal and wires. Some that believe their ships have a soul. Those same few who believe this explain it through odd happenings...things that normally wouldn't happen. A trick of a sensor, an impossible maneuver that the pilot would have never accomplished alone, shields or hull lasting longer than they should. Doors opening inexplicably when needed. Weapons managing that last squeeze of power that shouldn't have been there. There were so many things that pilots whispered about to others...things that just...should not have happened. Talynne's story of her ship saving her life would spread throughout the populated section of the galaxy, adding to the whispered rumors of a ship's secret, their soul.

There was but one who would know the truth. The talon-shaped scar on her right hand would forever be a reminder of the encounter she had whilst legally dead. An encounter that, in her mind, heart and soul, put the rumors to rest and made them rise as truth.


	3. Heart of the Sun

Created For: Short Story Competition in the EDC Loreweavers Subgroup on FB. Takes place approximately one year out in "The Ship Whisperer Collection" series.

Title: "Heart of the Sun"

Tagline: "Set Controls for the Heart of the Sun"

Author: Diana Pickel (CMDR Talynne Star)

Date: 9-19-2015

January 7, 3302

Just outside Patocuda

"Easy does it, Amethyst. You're doing amazing." Talynne said, grinning from ear to ear. Her newest ship, an Imperial Eagle, was exuding a very nervous emotion. She'd never been out to fight before, and this was her first time. Amethyst was a young soul, and having never fought, Tal understood why she was nervous. She smiled and patted the console gently.

"I'm here, too, you know. You aren't doing all of it by yourself. I promise." Tal said gently, shifting the pristine white ship around, searching for one more target. A Cobra flew stalkingly into their view and Tal's heart clenched.

"Well, well, what have we here?" came a male's voice across the comms. "I'm sure a pretty little sweet thing like you's got something good to give..." the guy said, his accent drawling as if he were drunk. Tal's nose twitched in disgust.

"If you're looking for cargo, we have none." she said coolly, targeting the ship and waiting for the normal scans to finish. The guy came up wanted. She smirked.

"Aww, that's too bad. But then you wouldn't mind a scan then, would you?" He sneered, activating his cargo scanner. Tal chuckled.

"Only if you don't mind mine." She said, smirking as she tapped the button for her Warrant Scanner.

"What?! HEY! Shut that thing off! You got no right!" He yelled, his own scan stopping mid-scan as he twisted his ship about, realizing he had just been screwing with a Bounty Hunter.

"Oh...but I had every right the moment you decided to scan me." She answered, her voice growing cold. She cut off the comms and switched to combat mode.

"Amethyst, target the power core." She said, following the Cobra. The power core was targeted instantly and Tal smirked, pulling the trigger.

Twin pulse lasers began chewing at the other ship's shields. They ate away at it quickly, not giving the other a chance to regain any hint of shields. Cobra and Imperial Eagle danced through the asteroids, exchanging fire. Talynne felt a little fear from Amethyst as shots were fired at her, but were relieved to find her shields hardly ever even lost power. After a few moments, Talynne saw the telltale waver of blue as the Cobra's shields fell. She began to pound the hull with both the lasers and the medium-sized Multicannon on the top of the white Eagle. Dim sunlight glinted off her hull as she moved into a position above the Cobra, giving them the perfect and widest area to fire at.

A sudden flash of pain and a cry for help blasted her full on, like a sudden bright light to the eyes. She let go of the controls and covered her face, leaving Amethyst to drift and spin a little. The weapons stopped immediately. Another flash of pain and an image of the Cobra in pain and suffering tore at her heart like something she'd never felt before. She suddenly realized she couldn't kill the cobra. It -he- was crying for help. But what got to her the most...was the cry for help was a plea for death. There was only one reason why a ship would cry out for death. Why it would beg for the weaponsfire her and Amethyst provided.

"Goddammit!" she yelled, flipping on the comms.

"You're an outright asshole for how you've treated your ship!" She cried out, trying to think of some other way to help the ship. But all he kept asking for was death. His pilot had apparently treated him horribly. Some ships find good pilots who speak to their ships, take care of their systems, and work with them. They make amazing teams. But more often than not, a ship finds itself in the hands of a pilot who doesn't care. Who sees them as nothing more than a metal box with a frameshift drive and weapons to do their bidding. There was no respect. The ship would try over and over to communicate with their pilot, crying and pleading to be heard.

And this was why some ships...they'd give up. They'd go silent. Their souls would become a shadow of what they were. This one...this cobra...had some fight still, but he was tired and in pain. He couldn't last much longer this way.

"What the hell you talkin' 'bout, lady!? You're crazy! Ships don't need nothin'! Piles o' scrap! Long as they get me what I need, I'll keep 'em repaired. But when it's time for a new one, off they go!" the guy retorted. "This one done outlived its usefulness. Won't even turn proper anymore!"

A soft, sad wail echoed through Talynne's mind at the pirate's words. Angry tears welled up in her golden eyes.

"That's because he doesn't want to work for you anymore! You've treated him like shit! You don't deserve the loyalty and commitment of a ship! Amethyst! Target Life Support!" She said, having made her decision. "And then the canopy."

"What! You can't do that! You'll kill me!" The pirate said, frantically trying to save his own ass.

"Good." she said, disgust dripping from her voice as she fired Amethyst's weapons. The life support module exploded within less than a minute. She could see small fires licking at the console from within the canopy. The glass cracked just as easily, and she saw the pilot fly out. He flailed at first, then went rigid as he spun slowly away. He didn't even have time to secure his helmet. She took a deep breath as the bounty reward for him popped up on her screen. Just a target, she reminded herself, swallowing. Just a target...

But the Cobra, on the other hand...

She maneuvered Amethyst over to the Cobra, who sat spinning slowly. Sparks spat out from the hull where bullets forced their way in, ripping into wires and plating. Angry red lines were cooling from the laser burns that her and Amethyst had inflicted. Talynne could feel the Cobra's pain, both physical and spiritual. She swallowed back another wave of tears that threatned her eyes. Amethyst was angry and hurt; she'd never imagined that humans could be so cruel. She suddenly felt lucky to have a Commander such as Talynne with her. Tal felt the sentiment, and she ran her hand across the side console reassuringly.

"Amethyst. I promise you I will never treat you, Talyn, Starburst, or any of my other ships like that...I swear that to you." She said softly, reassuring and reaffirming her beliefs to her newest Eagle. She watched the Cobra a moment, then opened a direct comm link to the battered ship.

"Talynne to the Cobra...are you...alright...?" She asked softly, waiting for a response. It came in the form of maneuvering thrusters firing, steadying the ship to 'look' at her and Amethyst. She felt a huge wave of sadness and suffering coming from the Cobra.

"I'm sorry...I didn't know..." she whispered, reaching out to place her hand on the canopy, as if trying to reach through the glass to touch the tortured Cobra. She felt a wave of forgiveness from him. After that, another plea for a release from this universe. Talynne sighed and stared out past the Cobra. The brillant star of the system caught her eyes. It wasn't far away. She looked back at the Cobra.

"I will grant your wish. It...hurts me to do so. But you shouldn't suffer anymore. I don't want to fire on you. I can't kill you with my own hands...but if you will let me, I'll guide you..." she said, and pointed at the star. She felt a brief moment of panic, and then agreement. It would be a beautiful death. The pain of the heat would give him something else to focus on, other than the pain of having been with horrible Commanders.

"Are you able to Navlock onto Amethyst here? We can guide you into Supercruise." Talynne asked, hoping the ship's AI had been upgraded enough to do that. Seconds later, she heard the soft beep indicating she had been locked onto. After a moment, she felt the confirmation from the other ship. She smiled softly.

"Are you able to tell me your name?" She asked curiously. If she was going to guide this ship to his death, the least she wanted to know was his name. She wanted a way for him to be remembered.

The word 'Chaser' came up on the written comms screen. Talynne smiled more.

"Chaser. That is a wonderful name." she said, turning Amethyst away from the rings that they were in and pushing the throttle to full speed. The battered and beaten Cobra followed, limping along. Tal could feel the pain he was in, but she felt her kindness was doing some good. It still didn't soothe the pain of the request that he had put on her.

After a moment, supercruise enveloped them both, and Amethyst led the way towards the sun. Everyone was quiet for a moment, until Chaser began sharing images of his past. He wanted someone to know of the torment he'd suffered. Why he chose the path he did now. Why he could no longer handle it. Why he begged for release. The images he shared were of times through many pilots. When he was brand new he had a good pilot, but she was ripped from him early on. Taken away by pirates. Since then he'd been handed from pirate to pirate, and always treated as little more than a flying box with a frameshift drive. He shared images of having been put through battles and only repaired enough to get them through to the next mission. He shared images of pilots yelling at him for how much of a good-for-nothing he was. It was having had that taste of kindness, of freedom and joy, and then being thrust into pain, suffering and sadness that made him wish to just end it all. The images made Tal both angry and extremely sad. The actions humans take on their ships was deplorable in a lot of cases. No one really realized just how amazing they were. She stared out to the sun that was growing in front of them, blaming the brightness for the tears that slowly dripped down her cheeks.

Within fuelscooping range, Tal pushed Amethyst as far as she could go without overheating majorly, and dropped out into normal space. By this time, her cheeks were wet from everything she had been shown. She turned Amethyst around as the Cobra dropped in next to them. She reached over and pressed the comms.

"You don't have to do this, you know. You could stay with me. I could find you a good pilot. You don't have to suffer anymore." She said, trying anything she could to save his life. To give him that last chance. Chaser turned towards them and dipped his nose a bit in thanks.

She heard a soft ping and looked up at the text comms panel. Her tears overflowed at what she read.

"I will be okay. This is something I want to do. In the end, I am grateful...and honored...to have the Ship Whisperer herself here with me in my final moments. Thankyou, Commander Talynne Star. Your kindness was all that I needed to bring me peace. I would be further honored if you gave me my final command."

Talynne covered her mouth in an attempt to keep from bursting out in sad wails. She felt incredibly sad, and incredibly honored. Amethyst felt her pilot's sadness and tried to send comforting waves of emotion towards her. Tal reached her free hand out and brushed her fingers against Amethyst's console in consolation that she'd be alright. This was just a painful moment. After a moment, Talynne unbuckled the straps holding her into her chair so that she could stand. She wiped her eyes, seeing the Cobra sitting there, just staring at them, waiting quietly. Tal could feel her heart breaking. A soft wave of comfort and affirmation washed over her from the Cobra and Tal dipped her head a moment before raising her head again.

"Chaser." she said, her voice gathering as much strength as she could muster. "Set your controls...for the heart of the sun." She said, nearly choking on the words. She'd never had to do this before. Is this what it meant to be a Ship Whisperer? To guide those in pain? To help those who had no hope left? She finally realized the purpose of her life, of her gift. Maybe there really was some truth to the nickname. She watched solemnly as the Cobra turned, aiming for the heart of the sun. She reached her hand out, pressing it against the glass, feeling rather sad. She only had one more word to say, and it was the hardest to say.

She felt a last wave of comfort come from the Cobra. Another wave of, 'its okay'. She lowered her hand again, standing as tall as she could.

"Engage."

It broke her heart to say it. It ripped her apart to see the rear main thrusters fire up, heading straight for the sun. But she stayed there, staying strong as she could. Her eyes were watering and a deep, painful knot lodged itself in her throat. She swallowed, trying her hardest to keep that knot down, to keep those tears from overflowing. Chaser didn't want her to cry.

As she watched Chaser get smaller and smaller, she began to see an image. It was a happy one. Someone she didn't know, but another girl about the same age. Blond hair, bright, green eyes, and a cheerful, happy soul. Talynne saw her sitting at the console of a Cobra, and she realized it was Chaser. He was sharing one last image. The girl was his new pilot, his first pilot. And he was her first ship. She named him Chaser before they even launched for the first time together, saying that it just felt right.

The image shifted to just before their first launch. The girl smiled and brushed her fingers against the console, much the way Talynne often did with her ships.

"I'll never leave you, Chaser. You're a good ship. We'll be awesome together, I promise!" She said, the biggest smile on her face as she pressed the launch button, releasing them. The image shifted slightly again, this time it was of them heading out of the starport, heading towards the horizon of a planet with the sun peeking out behind it. They shifted to supercruise, pulling slowly around the planet and towards the sun...

Talynne realized he was sharing his last image...one that made him happy, one that he had kept buried in the depths of his soul for so long...the reason he'd lived this long. But he'd known the truth...the pirates had killed her long ago. He only wanted to make her proud. But he had suffered so much and finally came to the realization that she wouldn't have wanted him to suffer like this. That...was why he was doing this.

Mere seconds before she watched Chaser explode and join the brilliant depths of the sun, she heard a soft whisper through her mind.

"Thankyou...thankyou so much..."

Talynne finally broke down.


End file.
